accompanied by a Delmore Gallery and Thomas Vroom certificate of authenticity

Cowboy Louie Pwerle is an important Utopia artist whose traditional country lies on the Western side of the Sandover River on Utopia station and stretches west to Mt Skinner.

On Utopia Station, north of Soakage Bore, is a large soak (central roundel) and a series of smaller soaks in a dry creek bed. The two arc shapes at the centre are the two mythological 'boss' men who lay down at night to protect the soak water.

At this place men gather to sing and enact the travels and adventures of their totemic ancestors. From such stories come examples and precedents of tribal law. The misdeeds of an ancestor, and the consequent punishment are object lessons taught to young initiates as part of the ceremony.

During the ceremony special objects are created and prepared. The design on the shield used in this ceremony, as well as the ground and body designs are all meant to be memorised. Of equal importance is the need to understand the full significance of the ceremony, both mythologically and ritually.